


20 Minutes

by Chromi



Series: Deuce-centric [28]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble, Established Relationship, Kissing, M/M, Prompt Fill, Studying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29583756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chromi/pseuds/Chromi
Summary: Deuce has been working too hard; Ace kisses it all better.
Relationships: Masked Deuce/Portgas D. Ace
Series: Deuce-centric [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1576678
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	20 Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill for the prompt, "Kisses Meant To Distract The Other Person From Whatever They Were Intently Doing" requested on Tumblr.

“You’ve been at that since breakfast.”

Deuce didn’t even so much as glance up from his textbook, his face mere inches from the pages. Allowing himself a moment to push his glasses further up his nose from where it had slid to hang precariously, he said, “the exam’s in three days. I can’t afford to fail—well, no,” his dark eyes flickered up to meet Ace’s briefly before resettling on his revision, “ _we_ can’t afford for me to fail. Don’t forget how much this exam costs each time just to sit.”

“Even so,” Ace said gently, caressing his hands up Deuce’s biceps before massaging his thumbs into his shoulders, “breakfast was nine hours ago, Deu. You missed lunch again.”

“I’ll be fine,” Deuce said dismissively, though he did relax gradually under Ace’s expert touch, leaning back into it ever so slightly with a grateful sigh. “I’ll go nuts once this is over and eat everything I can get my hands on – how about that?”

“I’m concerned about you right now, though,” Ace countered, pulling Deuce further back in his seat until he was no longer hunched over his work, his spine straight and shoulders back; something audibly clicked into place, and Ace sighed as Deuce snorted a laugh. “See? You’re not old enough for your body to be making sounds like that. You need a break; a proper break, not just a walk over to the kitchen for more coffee,” he said quickly, heading off the protest he knew was coming. Working his fingers harder into the tense muscles in his boyfriend’s shoulders, Ace suggested, “20 minutes, that’s all. Enough for me to make you something to eat and to get you away from your books. How does that sound?”

For what it was worth, Deuce seemed to consider this. Letting his head drop back so that the back rested against Ace’s abdomen, he exhaled long, hard, slow until he had deflated in his seat, going momentarily boneless. Taking this as a good sign, Ace hummed a pleased sound – which gained a melodic upswing when one of Deuce’s hands found his own, laying atop it with a reassuring squeeze.

However, much to Ace’s dismay—

“I can’t, Ace,” Deuce said firmly, though not unkindly. “I’m terrified I’m going to fail this; I can’t stop until it’s over.”

And he was leaning forward again with one last squeeze of Ace’s hand, taking up his pencil again to skim along each line he read.

The distance, though barely a foot between them, felt endless, impossible to breach, and deathly cold. It felt like rejection, though Ace knew this was ridiculous, and it felt like self-neglect presenting itself under the disguise of something nauseatingly honorable. The worst part was that Deuce – now a week into this high-pressured cramming session – didn’t seem to realize what he was doing to himself... or to Ace.

Ace could accept hard work and pushing oneself when needed. He was more than willing to support Deuce through his career and do whatever he could, naturally... but within reason. But so far, Deuce had visibly lost weight, had gained dark circles under his eyes, and had stopped coming to bed for the last couple of nights, falling asleep at his desk only to wake up before Ace’s alarm went off, diving straight back into beating his brain to a pulp.

It wasn’t healthy, and it hurt Ace’s heart to see his partner like this, however Deuce may try to justify it.

“You’re taking a break,” Ace told him, leaning in to wrap his arms around Deuce’s shoulders, “and that’s not up for debate. It isn’t good for you, spending 18 hours a day hunched up like this,” he said quickly as Deuce turned to face him with an indignant sound, “and 20 minutes away from your book isn’t going to make you fail.”

“You don’t know that,” Deuce argued, his eyes wide and imploring, begging Ace to see what his anxiety was demanding he see, “I can’t—“

Ace pressed his lips to Deuce’s, kissing him firmly, gently, softly. Held it there through one, two, three heartbeats, before pulling away just enough to have Deuce chasing after him, spellbound. Hands flew from book, pulling Ace back in; Ace, in return, ran his fingers back through Deuce’s hair, thumbed along his jawline to tilt him, position him, and part his lips to his demand.

Right as Deuce sighed into the kiss, Ace tucked his thumb under Deuce’s chin, encouraging it up. Down his kisses trailed along Deuce’s jaw, ignoring hid throaty whine at their kiss being cut short... that was, until Ace sucked a kiss to the side of his neck, careful not to mark, instantly alive with adrenaline at the sensation of Deuce’s quickening thundering against his lips.

Up his throat he licked, taking deliberate care to press his thumb between Deuce’s teeth to anchor his hold there, and, once he reached his ear, Ace nipped at his lobe and murmured, “Deu, please... come to the kitchen with me. Let me get you something to eat.” He pressed a kiss just below Deuce’s ear, shivered at the sensation of Deuce’s touch caressing his own neck and shoulders, trying to find suitable purchase, and continued, “let me support you, babe... let me look after you. Just for 20 minutes, that’s all.”

Deuce nodded as he turned his face, easing them back into a slow, searching kiss that Ace smiled through. 

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the silence! Who Knows (what could happen) chapter 5 is being written at the moment, and at the time of writing this I have 4000 words written for it! Pyrexia chapter 3 is also halfway done at 2700 words :) I am working, just slowly... I've found my motivation again now, though, so I hope to get WK posted within the next two weeks. Fingers crossed!
> 
> I love chatting, so feel free to send me a message on either [Tumblr](https://chromiwrites.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Chromiwrites)! I'm always open to requests and chatting about these guys!


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